The present invention relates generally to establishing a connection between a client and a provider of a service, and specifically to establishing a connection between a client of a service and one of a plurality of mobile service providers.
Systems and methods for improving and optimizing a connection between a client and a provider of a mobile service, such as between a client needing a taxi and a taxi driver, are known in the art. In one of its simplest forms, a connection for a taxi is made by the client making a pre-arrangement with a specific taxi driver via a telephone call directly to the driver. This method presupposes that the client is aware of a time and place he/she needs to be picked up, has a telephone number of the taxi driver, and that the driver is available for the requested time. Where the above pre-arrangement method is not possible, a typical method for forming a connection is for the client to contact a dispatcher of a taxi-dispatching service, which dispatcher allocates a taxi to come to the client""s location. Most preferably, the dispatcher chooses a taxi of the taxi-dispatching service which is already close to the client, to minimize time the client needs to wait.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,577 to Herrington, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes apparatus for automatically dialing a central taxi dispatching station by transmitting a tape-recorded signal to a telephone line when an operator of the apparatus pushes a button. In addition to dialing the station, the apparatus provides means for two-way communication between the operator and the dispatching station.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,875 to Behnke, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a system for ridesharing. Drivers registered with the system transmit ride offers to a central station, which can also be contacted by members of the public, registered with the system, who require rides. The station attempts to match the ride offers and requests, and transmits the matching to appropriate drivers and riders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,267 to Riskin, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a system for routing a telephone call from a customer seeking an item to a dealer supplying the item, whereby the dealer to whom the call is routed is geographically close to the customer. The number dialed by the customer includes digits identifying the item desired, and connects the customer to the system. The system determines the location of the customer from the customer""s telephone number. The customer and the dealers are in fixed locations, served by a wired telephone network.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,099 to Drake, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a telemetry system for automated remote registration of services such as the dispatch of taxicabs. The system provides a plurality of geographically distributed custom-built call boxes which transmit requests to a central station. At the station the received requests are processed by a computer, which displays relevant requests to a dispatcher. The dispatcher contacts a service provider to supply the service, and the call box is informed that the service is being provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,546 to Shah et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method and apparatus for tracking vehicle location. A location of a vehicle is shown on a display. In addition, the system utilizes one or more databases to present on the display additional information regarding the vehicle such as speed, heading, and proximity to streets and/or significant landmarks. The system is intended for use by managers or dispatchers of a fleet of vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,841 to Rimer et al., whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a vehicle location system based on a cellular telephone xe2x80x9croamingxe2x80x9d network. The system utilizes existing signals transmitted from cell stations within the network, which signals register telephones within a cell. The system is able to use the registration signals to locate geographically telephones within the vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,702 to Mintz, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method and system for obtaining information from a plurality of remote stations. Each of the remote stations transmits a signal indicative of a characteristic of the station. In one example, the remote stations comprise a plurality of taxis which each transmit an identifying signal. A customer telephones for a taxi, and the system uses the identifying signals to locate the taxi geographically closest to the customer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,662 to Shibuya, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for detecting the location of a mobile terminal in a cellular telephone network. At least three base stations receive a location signal from the mobile terminal, transmitted in response to an inquiry signal transmitted by a base station in the network. The location of the mobile terminal is determined by finding the distances from the terminal to the at least three base stations, based on the strength of the received location signal at the at least three stations.
It is an object of some aspects of the present invention to provide improved methods and apparatus for establishing a connection between a customer and a mobile provider of a service.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of mobile transceivers operate within a cellular telephone network. The transceivers are preferably installed in service-supply-vehicles such as taxicabs or delivery trucks. The position of each of the mobile transceivers is tracked automatically by a central control unit, using any suitable location system known in the art, most preferably a system that uses signals generated by the cellular telephone network in the course of network operation. The positions, and other parameters relevant to the service being provided, such as idle time of each taxicab, are stored in a database maintained by the central control unit.
A customer desiring service from one of the service-supply-vehicles dials a number corresponding to the service required. The call is received by the central control unit, which determines the general location of the customer based on the location of the telephone from which the call is made. The central control unit uses the database to automatically choose a most-suitable-provider to supply the service. The most-suitable-provider is chosen using database parameters relevant to the service being provided, such as distances between respective vehicles and the customer, direction of travel of respective vehicles, and vehicle idle time. The call is routed by the central control unit to the most-suitable-provider, so that a direct connection between the customer and the most-suitable-provider is automatically established.
After the direct connection has been established, the customer and the most-suitable-provider are able to communicate in order to arrange further details of the service to be provided. For example, in the case of a taxi service, the customer can provide her exact address, and the driver can give an estimated time of arrival at the address. Effecting an automatic direct connection between a customer and the most-suitable-provider of a plurality of mobile service providers is an efficient way of providing the service, not at present known in the art.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, operators of the mobile transceivers indicate to the central control unit whether or not the operator""s vehicle (or other service) is available. If the vehicle is a taxicab, for example, the operator indicates that he is unavailable if he has already picked up a fare or is otherwise occupied. Such indication may be effected automatically, for example, when the taxi driver turns his meter on.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the most-suitable-provider is able to transfer the connection effected by the central control unit to a second transceiver used by a second provider of the requested service. Preferably, the transfer is effected before the direct connection is made between the most-suitable-provider and the customer. Most preferably, the central control unit automatically queries the most-suitable-provider as to his willingness to provide the service, and connects the customer to the provider only after the provider has answered in the affirmative. Alternatively, the transfer is effected after the direct connection has been made between the most-suitable-provider and the customer. Most preferably, the second transceiver is chosen by the central control unit on substantially the same basis as the most-suitable-provider is chosen.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for establishing a connection between a client and one of a plurality of mobile providers of a service, including:
maintaining a database including one or more variable parameters of each of the plurality of mobile providers of the service;
receiving a communication from the client requesting the service;
automatically selecting, responsive to the communication and to the parameters in the database, a suitable provider from among the plurality of mobile providers of the service; and
routing the communication automatically so as to establish a direct connection between the selected provider and the client.
Preferably, maintaining the database includes maintaining a location of each of the plurality of mobile providers, and receiving the communication from the client includes determining a location of the client responsive to the communication, and selecting the suitable provider includes evaluating respective distances between the location of the client and the locations of at least some of the plurality of mobile providers.
Preferably, maintaining the location of each of the plurality of mobile providers includes evaluating each location based on transmissions from respective transceivers operated by the plurality of mobile providers.
Preferably, the transceivers include cellular transceivers, and routing the communication includes routing communications via a cellular network.
Preferably, selecting the suitable provider includes prioritizing a plurality of suitable providers, and routing the communication includes establishing the communication between the client and the suitable provider with a highest priority.
Preferably, selecting the suitable provider includes transferring the communication to one of the suitable providers with a priority less than the highest priority when the provider with the highest priority is unavailable.
Preferably, the method includes appointing one of the providers as a system overseer, wherein routing the communication includes transferring the communication to the system overseer when automatic selection of the suitable provider is unsuccessful.
Preferably, maintaining the database includes obtaining at least some of the one or more variable parameters by evaluating transmissions of a mobile communications network.
Preferably, obtaining the parameters by evaluating the transmissions includes purchasing information from an operator of the mobile communications network.
Preferably, routing the communication includes routing a call through the mobile communications network in return for a portion of a fee paid by the client to the selected provider.
Preferably, the mobile communications network includes a cellular telephone network.
There is further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for establishing a connection between a client and one of a plurality of mobile providers of a service, including:
a data storage unit, adapted to maintain a database including one or more parameters of each of the plurality of mobile providers of the service; and
a central control unit, adapted to receive a communication from the client requesting the service and to determine, responsive to the communication and to the one or more parameters in the database, a suitable provider from among the plurality of mobile providers of the service, and to route the communication automatically so as to establish a direct connection between the suitable provider and the client.
Preferably, the apparatus includes a respective plurality of mobile transceivers which are adapted to communicate between the plurality of mobile providers and the central control unit.
Preferably, each of the plurality of mobile transceivers includes a control for invoking a transfer function, which routes the communication to another mobile transceiver.
Preferably, the mobile transceivers include cellular transceiver units.
Preferably, the one or more parameters include a location of each of the plurality of mobile providers, and the central control unit is adapted to determine a location of the client from the communication and to evaluate respective distances between the location of the client and the locations of at least some of the plurality of mobile providers.
Preferably, the central control unit is adapted to determine the locations of the client and of the plurality of mobile providers based on data obtained from a cellular communications network.